Back To You
by gleekymcgrey
Summary: "Natasha, don't freak out, but we're in the 40's." His words didn't register at first. She found that nothing ever registers in your funny little mind when there's a face-a nice face though-looking down at you, just mere inches away from kissing their eyeball. Because what was he trying to say? Was it some kind of elaborate prank? Maybe it was. It should be. / POST IW
1. Chapter 1

**ONE**

"Natasha, don't freak out, but we're in the 40's."

His words didn't register at first. She found that nothing ever registers in your funny little mind when there's a face- _a nice face though-_ looking down at you, just mere inches away from kissing their eyeball. Because what was he trying to say? Was it some kind of elaborate prank? Maybe it was. It should be.

The initial shock wore off and the usual defensive mode kicked in, and she reaches her hand under the pillow looking for her pocket knife, and panics a little when she didn't find it there.

Steve backed away, watching her intently. Cautiously. Like he was waiting for some kind of a reaction from the disheveled, disoriented redhead.

"It's okay...you're okay." He said, and Natasha notices the weird way his hair is parted neatly, like he actually took the time to put product in it and comb.

"Steve?" Natasha said in a scratchy, croak-like voice. Like she had been out for days and hasn't spoken since. _Why do I feel like shit?_ She skimmed the room and decided to see the outside of the window and _oh...nope. I feel like shit and I'm dizzy._ Steve was suddenly on her side, keeping her on her feet. "Wh-what the hell happened, Steve?" _And what was that thing about being in the forties? Maybe he said Rovie's, as in that burger joint they ordered burgers from after missions?_

"You need to sit. You've been out some time."-He guided her to a dainty loveseat with a floral pattern. "You want anything? Glass of water, soda?"

"I want to know what happened."

Steve sighed and mumbled under his breath, "Stark."

"Dammit, Stark!" She rolled her eyes, because she should have known it was Stark. "What did he do?"

"There was a party. I'm thinking it was a birthday party since I woke up with a stupid party hat on my head. I think at some point we were at Tony's Research Lab, the one where he keeps his more _controversial_ inventions. And he was showing off this tall, white capsule on a platform in the middle of the room and that's it. We're _here._ "

"And when exactly is _here?_ "

"1948."

For the next hour or so, Steve just sat on a rocking chair on the corner of the room, watching Natasha pace and take it all in by herself. His reaction was a tad different, because although they weren't supposed to end up here and they definitely can't stay long enough to affect the course of history, it still felt like going _home._ He woke up days before Natasha, on an alley in a neighborhood he recognized. _He got beat up there once, no...twice._ He was wearing a long-sleeved shirt and his more decent pair of jeans he only wore to gatherings, and Natasha ended up a few feet from him, dressed to the nines in a short, lacey dress that matched the color of her hair.

He had money on him, Natasha's purse had her wallet in it, and with this year's economy, Steve figured they wouldn't have to worry about anything for a while. He booked a room at a small bed and breakfast tried to figure everything out from there, but the details were too fuzzy and so much of a blur to be reliable.

"I-I don't remember how we got here…" Natasha said to herself, "Party...party...drinks, there were drinks involved, I think. And yes, I-I-I remember going down to the research floor...Tony's office. I was...I was wearing a dress, I think?" Natasha stopped in front of Steve then looked down on herself. Nope, she wasn't wearing a dress anymore. "Did you…"

"Yes, I changed your clothes, it's not a big deal." He said, coming out a little too defensive than he intended. "I also found money in your purse, and I used some of it to buy us both a clean change."

Natasha shrugged. Not in a million years did she imagine herself in a dainty yellow dress with a bow at the back. "How do we get back? Is there some kind of machine that came with us? Some way home?"

Steve sighed, "While you've been out, I went back to the alley to see if there's anything that can tell us why we're here and if there's anything we can do to go back, but…there's nothing there."

"So we're stuck?!" She threw her hands in the air. "Damn it, Tony." she said, more like a whisper.

"Actually, we don't know what happened. I just know Tony was there."

She ran her fingers through her hair, frustrated. "You're right. I just…" she clenched her hands into a fist and slammed it onto the wall, "...I just need to punch something. _Or someone_."

"Not yet. I think I know someone who can help us."

Natasha looked his way, "I doubt anyone would have the time travel technology-"

"I know, I know. But it's worth a shot. And he's the only one I know crazy enough to believe we're from the future." Steve smiled, "A Stark got us here, maybe a Stark can get us back."

Howard adjusted his sunglasses and put down his fruity drink on the patio table, watching the ladies- _they were presidential summer interns, he thought to himself. Or was it models? It was hard to tell when they were splashing in the pool in skimpy swimsuits-_ and blasting music on the jukebox. Man, he _loved_ summers. And it wasn't like he didn't deserve the indulgence. He deserved it the most, after the war and the clean-up afterwards, and the scouring the icy tundra for months on end.

"Howard! Join us!" A blonde girl in a polka dot ensemble waved at him. _Emily, was it? No, Amelie! The French one._

He waved back, "In a minute, sweetpea!"

It's been two weeks since he got back from the search and rescue mission from the arctic, where he'd spent months looking for a derailed plane and maybe his friend. They found the Tesseract, and as days became weeks and weeks turned into months, finding Captain Rogers seemed futile. If he survived the crash, the cold would have gotten to him by that time. He had to move on, eventually.

"Care for another glass, sir?" Jarvis stands beside him holding a pitcher of flavored tequila.

"Keep em' coming, Jarv."

The door buzzed. "Are we expecting more company, sir?" Jarvis asked, brows furrowed, thinking about the long hours of tidying up ahead of him.

Howard chuckles and gets off the reclining pool chair, "The more the merrier, my man! Now you stay here, make sure the ladies get what they want, and I'll get the door. _Be back in a jiffy_!" Jarvis nods at his boss for the amusing imitation of his accent.

He puts on his robe- _the heat was starting to become unforgiving-_ and hurries to the main door. Howard had just acquired the estate from the market, and he already found himself becoming fond of it. Two-storeys of Mediterranean beauty, with moldings and furnishings dating back a hundred years before he was born, a wide basement where he could do his tinkering, stunning gardens, a lavish pool with an adjoining jacuzzi, and to top it off, the property was 20 minutes away from the city. 5 minutes on chopper.

The door buzzed again, three impatient rings.

"Just a sec!" Howard shouts. "Jesus, girls these days." he added, whispering.

He got the door mid-ring, his speech on patience, politeness and common courtesy at the ready for whoever was on the other side of the door, but what he saw left him completely dumbfounded. Howard felt the air leave his lungs and for a brief moment he was breathless till he had to teach himself how to breathe again. He grabbed the nearest wall and leaned against it, afraid that he'd fall off his balance and wake up from this dream.

Because it _had_ to be a dream, right? There was no way it was really happening!

"Howard, hi."

 _Hi? Hi?!_ Howard opened his mouth but no words came out of it.

"Uh, Steve…I think you broke him." The redhead said, chewing a piece of gum nonchalantly.

Steve sighed and put a hand on Howard's shoulder, "It's me, bud. It's really me. Steve. Steven Rogers. We were in the army together...during the war…"

"I-I know who Steve is." Howard managed to mumble, batting Steve's hand away. _He's an impostor. He had to be. Or a ghost? It could be a ghost! But in the middle of the day? In this weather? Shouldn't ghost appear at night? I don't know the rules!_ "-that's...that's not you. It's not possible! It's just...it can't be real!"

"Should I do it?" the redhead asked. And before Howard knew what was coming to him, there was a fist on his face and everything was dark.

 _This is it,_ Howard thought. _This is how I die._

"You know, there were lots of times before when I wanted to plant my fist on Tony's face. But you can't do it because of " _camaraderie"_ and " _being a team"_ and Clint told me _"you can't just punch people in the face, Tasha. Even when they're being annoying",_ but I got to punch his dad." Natasha smirked, lying down on the king-sized bed with a passed out Howard. "I got to punch _the_ Howard Stark."

Steve chuckled, "We have what we have when we have it, right?"

"And I am _grateful_ for the opportunity." She relaxed onto the mattress. "So he sleeps in a canopy bed, huh? Tells you a lot about the guy. And what about that oil painting of himself above the fireplace?"

"Kind of like putting your name in bright lights on the tallest building in the city."

Natasha chuckles, "Point." she rolls over to her side and faced Howard, studying him. "I see where Tony got his womanizing looks from, though. I mean look at the guy. The ladies must go crazy for him."

"Like you'd never believe." He shook his head, "But he's a great guy. He's done a lot for this country." Steve hovered about Howard, remembering the good times he had with him. He was nice. Cheeky and stubborn and he pissed off a lot of officers with his wit, but he was nice to Steve. Then his gaze travelled to the redhead beside Howard, her hair fanned out on the pillows like fire. Natasha looked tired, as she understandably would be. Time travel had to have some effects on the body, but he had no way of knowing that. She shouldn't even be here. As far as Steve knew, Natasha never liked going to the research floor except for the gauntlet upgrades. What was _he_ doing down there anyway?

Howard groaned and shifted on the bed, "Jarv…"

"He's back." Natasha crawled out of the bed, "If he resists, do I get to punch him again?"

Steve rolled his eyes, "He won't."

"Jarvis."-Howard brought his hand to his face, gently pressing the sore spot just above his jaw. Slowly his eyes opened, and when he saw Steve again, he sat upright and reached for the bedside table where his gun was.

Natasha moved to tackle him, but Steve had a better idea. This time the guy would have no choice but to believe.

"No, Howard!" Steve raised his hands onto the air as Howard pointed a gun towards him. "It's really me, and I'll prove it to you. Do you remember flying me out into the enemy lines during a storm? You were the only pilot Peggy knew that would fly us there no questions asked…"

"Public information!" Howard exclaimed, holding the gun tighter. "Jarvis!"

"Okay, okay!" Steve sighed, "You said something to Peggy that night. You were asking her about getting some fondue together, and I had to ask what a fondue was and I asked Peggy if you and her were... _fondue-ing._ "

Natasha looked at Steve, weirded out by his choice of story. But it seemed to work, since Howard had already lowered the gun to the table and calmed down a notch. "H-how is this possible? You're...you're in the ice! We didn't find you. We looked, but...we couldn't find you."

Making sure Howard was calm and no longer disoriented, Steve sat on the bed with him. "We came to you because I think you're the only one who'll believe us."

"Who's we?"

"Natasha Romanoff." Natasha extended her hand, "Sorry for punching you in the face."

Howard shook her hand, still a bit confused.

"Howard, you're right. Technically, I _am_ still in the ice. You never found me. They won't find me until seventy years later, on the year 2012. We're from the future."


	2. Chapter 2

**TWO**

"And wireless phones?" Howard asked, curious. He hasn't let go of Steve's Iphone yet, looking at it like it was the best thing humankind has come up with. Too bad it was dead and Steve didn't exactly pack a charger with him. "Mind if I hold on to this? I can maybe make something to charge it. Should be easy."

Steve hesitated. What if he saw something he wasn't supposed to? Then he remembered it had a passcode, modified by the IT's, making it as secure as can be. "Uhm, sure. Give it a try."

He was having the time of his life, asking Steve and Natasha about the wonders of the 21st century. They kept the details to a minimum, keeping personal information like the fact that Howard will have a genius son named Tony and that same Tony was the one who made the machine that sent them back in time. Natasha and Steve decided it would be best if they stayed away from those kind of information and focused on modern technology.

"...and this internet, it has everything?"

"Oh yeah, it does. There's this thing called Google and man, it's very helpful. All you need to do is type into a computer whatever it is you want to know and then it appears on a screen." Steve explained, ecstatic to be sharing this to a non-21st century person. Natasha smiled, thinking how thrilling it must be for him to be here. She wondered if he still felt like an oddball after all these years of living in a world that is very different from what he knew, but then maybe not. Maybe he was adjusting well. "Just like that."

"Wow." Howard gaped. "Okay you have to tell me this. Do I perfect the technology for making cars fly?"

Steve and Natasha exchanged looks. "Hmm, I think you have to figure this one for yourself."

"You're right. Don't wanna mess up with history." He agreed and sat back, "...okay last one, do I get married?"

"Not telling you that, either." Steve chuckled.

Howard sighed, "Oh come on, Steve! At least tell me if she's pretty?"

"Not a chance!"

"Okay, I'm calling it a night." Natasha got up, tightened her robe around her waist to ward of the chill and started walking inside. "See you in the morning?"

"Yes. We'll figure it out tomorrow." Howard said, "Tonight you both deserve some decent rest."

"Actually, I think I'm going to catch some sleep too, Howard." Steve got up too, stretching his limbs. "Thank you for everything, man."

 _No, thank you._ Howard thought to himself. It wasn't everyday you meet a supposedly dead friend from the future.

He watched as the two retired to the manor, wondering what was going on between them. They were too familiar with each other to just be friends, but they were too reserved to be in a romantic relationship either. He'd been around them for less than a day and Howard can tell his friend cared about the woman, always looking over his shoulder and making sure she was catching up fine. He wasn't so sure about Natasha though. As far as he can tell she was a tough one, kind of remind him of Agent Carter... _oh. Peggy._

Howard has been too caught up that he forgot there was one other person in New York that would be thrilled to know that Steve was alive.

Peggy Carter.

She's got to admit; Natasha wasn't used to the nice beds anymore. Years on the run sometimes meant sleeping on the ground and sometimes when their covers were made, they didn't sleep at all. Those times they just napped in whatever transport they had, usually a rusty, tetanus-risk bus or the back of a farmer's pick-up truck. And then she didn't spend enough time back at the compound to get used to living comfortably before they got sucked into the space-time continuum.

Then _this._ A lavish upgrade to her all-white, bed and bedside table room.

Like Howard she had _so_ many questions.

 _Did Tony grow up here? What kind of childhood did he have?_ Judging by the lack of boyhood stories from Tony and his snarky comments about his old man, Natasha was guessing he didn't have much of a childhood to begin with. Still, Tony got lucky. It was weird thinking about it that way but in forty or so years, _Natalia Alianovna Romanova_ will be born. Her mother will be killed in the raid and her father will be gunned down when he tried to protect his baby girl. She will be taken by an organization that no longer saw her as human but only as a weapon.

Maybe if this whole time travel thing will be figured out, she'll tell her little self to hold on just a little longer. That even though it seemed impossible, better days were coming. Sure, she will still be fighting but she will be fighting for the good guys, fighting with good people.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

Natasha jumped in start. Not a lot of people can sneak up on her, but going back to memory lane always kept her from being her usual alert self. Steve stood on the doorway, holding a glass of milk.

She scoffed, "I'm beginning to think the 40's are bringing out the gentleman in you." She sat on the bed, crossing her legs on the mattress.

"Hey, I'm always a gentleman." He defended, handing her the glass. "Howard said something about travelling faster than the speed of light to time travel and I thought that can't be easy on you so…"

"So you brought me milk?"

"What? Helps me sleep. It's foolproof, Nat."

She can't help the smile that formed on her mouth. He can be a real puppy sometimes, like Captain America lived inside of Steve, coming out only when there's danger and whatnot. Most days he was just plain Rogers who spent his mornings reading the paper instead of checking the recent events tab on his phone like a normal person would, and he liked pancakes on Sundays. The others thought it must be boring, being stuck with him for years, but number one, she wasn't stuck because she _chose_ to be there and number two, being with him was like being with a big brother who looked out for you.

And of course, there were times when he was a real grandpa. Which was _annoying_.

"You're doing it again." Steve smirked.

"Hmm? Oh...sorry. Maybe my brain's a bit scrambled from the trip."

"Are you okay?"

She wished he'd stop looking at her like that. Like...like he cared about her and not just because he was her captain and he had to make sure she was fine. Maybe that's just it? It was his job to look after her. After everyone. "I'm fine, Steve. I was just…"

"Worried we're not going home and you're gonna have to stay in this era forever?"

Natasha chuckled, "Well sure, there's that. I was wondering if Tony got to grow up here. He met the human Jarvis, right? I never would have guessed that Jarvis was his father's butler."

He nodded, "Named his AI after the guy. They must have been close when he was growing up. Can you imagine growing up here? Just growing up in a place like this, it must have been nice."

"Money's not everything." Natasha said, "Look how Tony turned out. Before Pepper, _god_ he was a complete mess. Reckless, didn't care about anything but himself and his parties."

Steve shrugged, "We can't have everything." he chuckled, looking back into his own childhood. "Still, must be nice not having to worry about where the next meal was gonna come from. Central heating would have been nice."

"What, your parents didn't have a house as nice as this one?" Natasha asked with a sly smirk on her lips. She knew everything about Steve to know that he had a rough past. In fact, all of America did. His life story was basically printed out in large displays in the Smithsonian for everyone to see. "Don't worry, Steve. You weren't the only one who slept with your ass freezing. There's a reason why families like Stark's are called the _one percent_."

He looked like he wanted to ask about _her_ childhood, but thought better of it. Besides, he must have already read about it in her history when she dumped SHIELD files onto the internet. He just hadn't heard the whole story from her. Someday, maybe. When looking back at it didn't feel like going back to the cold, stale rooms where she slept with her hand cuffed to the bed railings.

Steve cleared his throat, "Don't worry, Nat. We won't be here long. Howard may not have the tech Tony used, but he can figure it out. I trust him."

"Okay." She said, her voice just above a whisper. If Steve trusted Howard then she trusts him too.

Peggy woke up at six forty five, like she always did on a weekday. She picked out her clothes- _going for a blue coat and pencil skirt get-up with red hemlines_ -and laid it on the bed before showering. Then she put on the kettle for an earl grey tea before going to work, maybe eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich if she had time to spare.

But who was she kidding? Of course Peggy had time to spare. SSR wouldn't bat an eye if she came in late. Probably won't notice her absence even if she took the day off. _Oh, who would order their lunch for them? They'll notice then._ It was easier when she was out in the field. During the war, she did something worthwhile of her time. She had the respect she deserved. But the war ended- _and she was glad it was_ -and her position ended with it.

It was hard, but Peggy wouldn't have it any other way. She'd claw her way up the ladder if she had to. She knew she was meant for this.

"Gosh, I am ready to hit the sack." Angie came in from the night shift at the diner, kicking her wedges by the door. "Oh hi, Pegs! Haven't seen you in what...five days? What are you doing these days?"

"Just...work." Peggy smiled. "You?"

"The manager's been working me to death." She rolled her eyes and poured herself a cup of tea. "I have an audition at three though, so I hope it turns out alright." Angie shrugged and looked out the kitchen window, down at the buzzing streets. "Hey, is that your friend Stark outside?"

Peggy's brows furrowed. Howard awake at this hour? Must be something important. She joined Angie by the window and nodded, "Yeah, definitely him. What trouble has he gotten himself into now?" she sighed and fetched her hat and purse, "I better head out and see what's going on. Aaaaaand, I'll be home for dinner so we can celebrate that audition. Sound okay?"

"Oh Pegs…" Angie giggled, "You're a great friend. Okay, whatever happens, I'll cook something."

She headed down to the lobby, nodding and smiling to the people she passed. Peggy didn't know these people, and some of the ladies there judged her too quickly when she came home at three in the morning smelling like cigarette smoke after an undercover mission. But smiling and nodding was the polite thing to do, society said, so Peggy ran with it.

"Peggy!" Howard waved his hand as soon as he saw her exit the revolving door.

Peggy sighed. Oh she was glad to see him alright; it was just that whenever he showed up unannounced, it was rarely good news. "Hello, Howard. To what do I owe this visit?" She studied his features, noticing the dark circles under his eyes and the uneasy way he carried himself.

"Why don't you skip work today, hmm? I'll call your boss, you'll be…"

"Howard…" Peggy smiled, shaking her head. "What's it about? You know I cannot miss a work day. They already think I can't do my job because I'm a woman."

Howard opened the passenger door for her, "Trust me on this one, Peggy. I'll tell ya everything on the way."

Peggy rolled her eyes. Knowing him, he probably called the SSR already.

"Morning." Steve greeted, going into the kitchen. Natasha turned to him, holding a cup of coffee in between her palms, wearing Howard's shirt as a nightgown. _Beautiful,_ Steve thought. Her leg was propped up on the chair, her hair a tousled mess of a ponytail, and she seemed to be enjoying the heaping of bacon and croissants on her plate, the morning sunlight hitting her features just right. Steve wished they had more moments like it. Where everything seemed to be alright in the world.

Well, of course they had _the_ problem of going _home,_ but all things considered, _now_ was a pretty good time.

"Ah, Captain Rogers!" Jarvis greeted back, sliding his breakfast towards his direction. "I hope you like bacon. I didn't know how much you can eat so I…"

"Cooked for an army?" Steve chuckled. "Thank you, Jarvis. I love it."

"Marvelous." Jarvis sighed in relief. "Agent Romanoff was just telling me the story of how you were "fetched" out of the ice, if you don't mind?"

He looked at Natasha and shrugged. "Oh, not at all. I don't remember most of it, really. It was like sleeping, I guess? For a long, long time and then I wake up and it's…" he trailed off, remembering what it was like, waking up in a new century with nothing and no one. "...it's a different world. Well, it got easier from that point." Steve looked at Natasha with a smile, grateful that she was part of his new life from the beginning.

Natasha smiled coyly, something he'd never seen before. No sassy comeback, just a mutual understanding between them that they both made each other's lives easier by being in it.

The door buzzed, breaking the moment.

"Oh dear, that's Mr. Stark. I must have locked the door-"

"I'll get it!" Natasha volunteered and jumped off the stool. She couldn't stand Steve looking at her like that anyway. She pushed it on the farthest corner of her mind and shrugged her shoulders, focusing instead on the current dilemma. Maybe when it was all over they can sit down and talk about it. _Not now._

She opened the double door and it wasn't Howard as she expected.

But she knew _exactly_ who it was. How could she not? The woman was a legend.

The photographs didn't do her any justice though. Agent Peggy Carter stood there in front of her like a prototype of what a classy woman should be, carrying herself with confidence Natasha only pretended she had. And the woman did nothing but breathe. On top of all that history, she really was a beautiful woman, with perfectly coiffed brown hair and red lips that was an army in itself. It was really no wonder why she caught Captain America's eye.

 _Right_. The legend of Captain America and his almost someone special.

Peggy cleared her throat, "Sorry, Howard tried the back door." She looked at Natasha like she was one of Stark's one night adventures. Well Natasha _did_ look the part at the moment.

"Agent Carter…" Natasha stood straight and reached out her hand, letting Peggy in. "Agent Romanoff."

" _Agent?_ "

"Natasha? Who's at the door-" Steve's breath got caught in his throat, " _Peggy_?"


	3. Chapter 3

**THREE**

"Steve." Peggy said softly, eyes filling with tears. When Howard told her that Steve was back and that he came from the future, Peggy thought her friend had gone completely bonkers. She didn't know what to expect then, standing outside the door while Howard tried to break into his own house, but it wasn't exactly Steve Rogers in the flesh. He was gone. They'd all accepted it. She never forgave herself for giving up on looking for him in the ice, and she knew Howard didn't.

But he was right there. And he was okay. _And he came from the future?_ That one was a bit hard to swallow.

Before she saw it coming, Steve's arms were around her, lifting her a little off her feet as he hugged her.

Today was _real,_ and Howard was telling the truth and he hasn't gone out of his mind yet. For what seemed like an eternity, they stayed in each other's arms, Peggy not believing the twist of fate she found herself in and by the time Steve put her down, her face was wet with her own tears.

"How is this possible?" Peggy asked him, brushing the back of her hand against his cheek.

He was as beautiful as she remembered him. His strong demeanour and his kind presence unchanging.

Then as if a switch had been flipped somewhere, they backed away from each other, remembering that the last time they saw each other, Steve was about to jump into the jet. They kissed, but that was just _one_ kiss. _What if it didn't mean anything?_

Steve coughed, "I-I don't know. I just woke up one day and I'm _here._ "

Peggy nodded, unable to wrap her mind around it. "So uhm...will you tell me? About what happened, I mean. Howard said about finding you in the ice seventy years after the war."

"Oh." Steve nodded, "You want to uh...take a walk? Howard's estate is really _unbelievable._ And uh, that story's a long one."

"Huh, you should see his other houses. This is one's more on the modest side."

Steve suggested going to the garden, but Peggy thought of something better. There was a park just a block away from the house that will be fairly empty that time of day. Peggy found it peaceful and had dubbed it her favorite spot in all of New York when she stayed in that house for a short time.

He agreed, telling her to wait for him as he went to his room to grab a coat.

That's when he saw the door to Natasha's room slightly ajar. _Natasha._ He realized he hadn't seen her since she opened the door to Peggy, and he felt bad forgetting about her completely. Steve didn't even realize she was gone. He slowed down and knocked before going in, a heavy feeling settling at the pit of his stomach.

"Nat?"

She was in the middle of changing into a light blue dress with the back part wide open. Natasha immediately caught his eye in the mirror's reflection, only nodding in response.

"Do...do you need help with that?" Steve offered. It was too late to pretend he didn't see anyway. And they were past being shy about each other's bodies anyway.

"Sure." She said quietly, her words coming out dry. He knew right then that something was _off._

Steve finger's gently pulled on the zipper, lightly grazing her skin as he did. "I was uh...I was wondering where you'd gone. I didn't see you go up."

Natasha turned to face him when he finished, so close she can see the trace of wrinkles forming on his brow, or the specks of green dotting his blue eyes. For a moment she let herself get lost in it- _maybe it was the time travel and maybe she had gone soft, but if she was beginning to recognize the feelings she's always had for Steve then so be it-_ realizing a possibility she had never considered before. Waking up in the wrong year, Natasha always thought they were going to go back together, just like every mission. Because all along that's what she thought of this little side trip to the past- _a mission._ That all this will be a funny story they tell their friends over pizza and maybe a chance to lecture Tony not to meddle with the laws of science too much.

It's always been him and her against the world. Even when they had _no one,_ they had each other. Apart from Clint, there wasn't anyone else she'd trust her life with. Natasha thought that was the one thing in this life she can _always_ count on. She kicked herself for even thinking that. She was a spy, for heaven's sake. A killer. She wasn't supposed to depend on anything or anyone other than herself.

Now looking at Steve through a different perspective, Natasha realized how much he belonged here. Like he was a missing piece of a puzzle.

Steve took a deep breath and backed away slightly, "Peggy wanted to take a walk outside, show me around. Do you uh...do you wanna join us?" he asked awkwardly, looking down at his polished shoes instead of her.

Natasha scoffed, "Do _you_ want me to join you?"

His brows furrowed, his eyes meeting hers. "Of course I do, Nat."

She shrugged, "I'm kidding, Rogers. No, you go ahead. I'll be fine." Natasha turned back to the full-length body mirror, pretending to be interested in the dress she wouldn't be caught dead with in 2018, hoping her stint was believable.

 _Are you sure?-_ Steve wanted to ask but knew better than to pry. "Oh...okay. I'll just...well, we won't be long. Jarvis promised more breakfast, so..." He walked away, reminding himself not to forget his coat in his bedroom.

"Hey Steve?" Natasha called out just before he could close her door, "When you get back, we'll figure this out, right? Going home, I mean. We're going home. Right?"

"Yeah. Of course, Nat." He said with his champion smile.

She smiled, half-heartedly. Then she moved to the tall window, from where she watched Peggy still wiping the happy tears from her face. It didn't take long before Steve joined her, quick to offer his arm like the gentleman that he was. For a moment the pair just stood there and Natasha kept on watching, thinking how Peggy Carter was _perfect_ for him. How could she not? Peggy was everything she wasn't. No dripping red ledgers. No ugly past.

Steve deserved someone just like her.

"Oh hey, Agent Romanoff!" Natasha thought Howard looked extra wired today; his face a lot like Tony's when he comes up with a brand-new multi-million dollar idea. She's been nothing but be amazed by the similarities. Oh she had _a lot_ of stories to tell Tony when they get back, but not without kicking his ass for sending them there first. "You know..." Howard stopped right in front of her, a mischievous smirk playing in the corner of his mouth. "...you keep looking at me like that and I might ask about the things you know about me. Stories about me, all _wonderful_ of course?"

 _Sure,_ Natasha thought. Except for getting assassinated in the dead of winter, _sure._

"You can try." She raised her brow, flirting along because of course papa Stark was a charmer. "But remember I'm a spy. One of the best. I can keep a secret." Natasha said in her foolproof sultry voice, because even him shouldn't be immune to her subtle advances.

"Ooh." Howard hissed, "I bet you are."

"They don't call me the Black Widow for nothing."

"Black Widow?" Howard dropped the flirting, the words ringing a couple of bells in his head. "...why do I think I heard it before? Oh nevermind, onto the matter at hand. I think I figured out what happened."

"That was quick." Natasha smiled, "So, are we going home soon?"

"I think so." Howard sighed, "But you know the tech's not as advanced as the one that sent you here, and I need time to build something similar, so first thing I need is your patience." They started walking towards a steel door that should be where all the work was being done.

"That's good enough." Natasha just wanted a way home, fast. Because she thought that the longer they stayed there, the higher her chance of going back alone. And she _can't_ let that happen. "Thank you, Stark."

"Don't thank me yet." He squared his shoulders, "This is... _way_ above me." then he frowned, realizing something he never even considered before. "Man, it feels bad not knowing what to do. I don't think I'll ever get used to being the slow one."

Natasha rolled her eyes, walking through the door and into a large room that looked a lot like the one they had back in the compound. Except that one was white from ceiling to floor and the screens were holographic, and smelled like engine fluid. This one looked like a vintage mockup of an old warehouse you find in history museums. At the central wall, Steve's shield, or a replica of it, hung there along with other World War II memorabilia. Box computers lined the walls, and on one corner there were just metal scraps and crates of different fibers stacked on top of one another, on the other corner barrels of what Natasha believed to be gunpowder.

"Neat, huh?" Howard winked at her. "Made a lot of money selling weapons to the government during the war, and when the government could not keep track of my weapons, some ended up in the wrong hands. Blamed _me_ for it." He sighed, "If it wasn't for Peggy's help I'd still be on the run. A one woman army, that one."

 _Oh I know about the legend of Peggy Carter. Too well,_ she thought. "Why don't you stop weapons manufacture?"

He scoffed, like she just told him to ask cows to stop producing milk. "And let the other countries get the upper hand? We might not be at war right now, but when a time comes that we will be, we'll be prepared. I'll make sure of it."

Natasha wanted so bad to protest, but knew better. They have to let history run its course while they were here. "You're right. So this machine you're building, can you show it to me?"

"Oh, my pleasure." Howard takes her outside a smaller room with glass walls on all sides. Inside it were an enormous computer buzzing with life, connected to a glass capsule that should be the machine. "That's the thing."

"Did you build this overnight?" Natasha circled the room, studying the tech. It wasn't 21st century grade but it was impressive. "Looks to me like you're almost there."

"Not really. I had the other equipment, I just had to improvise." he shrugged, keeping a modest front. "But trust me, I'm not _nearly_ there yet. This could take a while. There's still a lot of things I can't figure out."

 _Oh no. That's not good._ But what else could Natasha do? Make him do his job faster? And she was a spy, not a scientist. She can't exactly help Howard pick up the pace.

"So, you and the Cap huh?" he said after a while. And he had the curious yet all-knowing grin she knew so well from Tony.

Natasha cleared her throat, "What about it?"

"You and Captain Rogers, what's going on between you two? I don't mean to pry but, oh hell who am I kidding. Of course I'm prying." He chuckled, and leaned against a desk stacked with sketches and diagrams and calculations of stuff Natasha can't interest herself with.

"We're friends. We work together. Is that it?" She hoped he would just drop it. But if Howard was anything like his son, she already knew that he wouldn't. "He's...he's a friend."

"No, no...that's not _it."_ He shook his head, unconvinced. "Come on, Agent Romanoff. Don't hold back. What happens in the 40's, stays in the 40's. That's an _actual_ saying here."

She sighed. What else was there to say? There wasn't anything going on between her and Steve. They work together and save each other's lives and oh there were years when all the company they had were each other and Sam, and _sure_ , there was obvious physical attraction in the beginning but that just kind of faded into background the longer they spent time with each other because they started seeing each other as Steve and Natasha and not Captain America and the Black Widow. Yeah, there's all _that_ but there was nothing else.

 _There's nothing else, right?_ Natasha asked herself. If there was nothing else, then why did she feel like throwing herself out the window when she saw him with Agent Carter? _Keep it together, Natasha._

"Well, whatever it is that you two have, it's more than _just_ friends. I didn't know him that well before; we were fighting a war and he didn't make it to see us win, but I know Steve doesn't take these _"matters of the heart"_ lightly. You have no idea how many women threw themselves at him when he became Captain America." Howard said after a long silence. Natasha turned to look at him, "But he had one woman in mind and he wasn't going to compromise that for something that didn't matter."

" _Peggy._ " Natasha found herself saying before she had the chance to hold her tongue.

"Margaret Carter." He grinned, feeling a bit nostalgic to the old times.

Then realizing the weight of his words, he looked at Natasha with apology written in his eyes. "Oh I'm...I'm sorry, I didn't mean it that way. It was a long time ago, you know? A completely different lifetime...especially for Steve and-"

"Don't worry about it," Natasha turned her back and hurried to the door.


	4. Chapter 4

**FOUR**

 _Say you'll remember me?_

 _Standing in a nice dress, staring at the sunset babe,_

 _Red dress and rosy cheeks,_

 _Say you'll see me again_

 _Even if it's just in your wildest dreams._

 _ **Wildest Dreams, Taylor Swift**_

"You were right." Steve circled the large oak tree, breathing the fresh clean air he didn't know he missed. Peggy sat on the grass with her legs folded to one side, looking up at him and watching him intently. "This place is nice."

"Not a lot of kids come here to play." Peggy said, "Not a lot of kids in this neighborhood in the first place."

Steve decided to join her on the ground, not really knowing what to talk to her about. She was quiet too, except for the comments about the neighborhood or about Ana Jarvis' amazing creme brulee he should try while he was here. Neither of them knew how to talk about the unbelievable, weird thing that happened. _Where do you begin?_

"So uh, what do you do these days?" He asked. Work seemed like a safe place to start.

"Oh," Peggy sighed. "Well, work's _work_. I'm not gonna lie…" she glanced at him, "...everyday I wake up and wonder if I'm still on the right path. If all this is even worth the trouble."

"What are you talking about? _You're_ Peggy Carter."

She scoffed, "Doesn't mean a thing these days. It's...different from the war. I _had_ a purpose. Back then it wasn't strange seeing a woman in uniform giving orders. Now I'm just a glorified lunch lady with an officer's paycheck." she laughed halfheartedly, looking down at her pointy shoes, "They only think of me when I'm not there to fetch their morning coffee."

"Hey, hey…" Steve gently lifted her chin, "None of that. It's going to get better. Trust me."

"Why Captain Rogers, do you know something that I don't?"

"Yeah, a few." He chuckled. Like the fact that in a few years she would help build SHIELD and have her name on history as the woman who fought in the war alongside Captain America, though she'd become a legend in her own right for standing her ground at a time when women aren't regarded as highly as men. If only Steve could tell her these things, along with the fact that she was going to marry a wonderful man and have two children and live a long life that won't be easy, but she'll be strong enough to live through the trouble. If only he could tell her that without ruining everything for her. "Just trust me on this, alright? You're doing just fine."

"I wouldn't want to know what my future holds anyway but...it's nice to know I'm on the right track. And I always trust you." She said with complete confidence, "What about you? What do you do... _in the future?_ "

Steve huffed out a breath, "Hmm. Not a lot has changed. Still fighting bad guys. Believe it or not, the world never runs out of people who think they're better than the others. And uh, lots of other strange things I never would have dreamed of seeing." _An alien invasion, a flying ship and a secret country-_ to name a few.

Peggy nodded, "Then I'm glad you're there to keep the world together."

He shook his head modestly, "No, it isn't just me. There's…" _Howard's son, Tony._ But he can't tell her that. "...there's this…" _Brilliant doctor who turns into an enormous green monster,_ but that too, he couldn't tell her about. _A norse god, an archer, a master of the mystic arts, a spiderling_ and a lot more. What _could_ he tell her? "...well, there's Natasha, too."

"You're partners, I gather?"

"Yeah uh...it's a long story. We've worked for the same organization for years but rarely on the same missions. _Oh_ you should see her in action. She's amazing at what she does. So we lived in the same building as the others and we trained together as a team, but that's that." _Then HYDRA happened, then SHIELD fell._ "Until a _crisis_ presented itself and we found ourselves in a situation where we only had each other to trust. I _owe_ her, you know. She's had my back for years. We looked out for each other. And then another thing happened…"

She watched him carefully, noting the slight blush that crept up on his cheeks when he started talking about Natasha. He thought so highly of her, proud of having her by his side on and off the battlefield.

"A lot of things tend to happen around you, I believe." Peggy said with a small smile.

He chuckled, "Oh yeah, we tend to draw a lot of trouble. So after that we uhm…" Steve looked back to their years on the run. It wasn't an easy time, sometimes they went hungry, slept too little or not at all. Patched each other up when they got roughed up and the like. But it helped that he had Natasha and Sam with him. Especially Nat. She had a comforting effect on him that no one else had. "...we went _on the run_."

"Like proper fugitives?"

"Well…" Steve chuckled, looking for a better word, "...yeah, like that."

"Steve Rogers gone rogue, huh?" She smirked, "I would love to see that happen."

He shrugged, a sly smile on his mouth. And they were quiet again, perfectly content of living in the moment. They both knew it wasn't permanent, but just because it wasn't going to be that way forever, doesn't mean they couldn't cherish it. This was definitely for keeps.

"So this Agent Romanoff someone special, then?"

"Yeah," Steve replied without hesitation. But then his eyes met Peggy's and she realized that wasn't what she meant. "But not... _special_ , like special someone." He scoffed, "She's one of the best people I know and yeah sure, she _is_ beautiful but...we're just friends. We work together, and we've been through hell and back together. It's.. _.hard,_ I think. In this line of work you just can't-"

"Hey," Peggy laughed, putting a hand on his shoulder to ease the tension, "It's okay, you know. Actually I'd be glad to know you have someone by your side. The _right partner._ "

Steve smiled sadly, because it could have been Peggy. But fate had different plans and Steve _cannot_ undo the course of history. Things were meant to happen but ending up with Peggy Carter wasn't one of them.

He remembered all the things he adored about Peggy-her strength, courage, compassion and her big heart. And to top all her great attributes, she wasn't hard to look at; _at all._ Steve remembered thinking that he wasn't going to find anyone as beautiful and as brave as her. And that moment seemed like just the right moment to close the distance between them.

He leaned in, hesitant at first, and placed a soft kiss on her cheek. A promise, that whatever trouble she comes across in the years ahead of her, he will _always_ be by her side, no matter the distance or the time.

But Natasha... _could it be?_ He never really thought about it. _No,_ it did cross his mind but they were either busy getting shot at or too injured to do really consider it.

Natasha rolled to her side, flinching as the morning sun hit her face. The analog alarm clock on the bedside table read 6:15 AM. Howard dropped off more clothes the other day-a couple of pant suits because he decided she'd look good in them, some tight-fitting dresses because _duh,_ of course. And then a pair of yoga pants, athletic shirts and running shoes she was actually grateful for. She washed her face with cold water and wiped it dry with a fancy-looking face towel, changed her clothes and slipped into a pair of running shoes.

 _Comfy._

A run will be good for her. Maybe take the edge off of worrying too much about the _time travel_ situation, and also the _Steve-might-not-be-going-home-with-her_ situation. And besides, she's been in the 40's for two days and she hasn't seen the city yet.

"Hey!" Steve called out, taking a break from his pre-run stretching to face her. He looked like a treat, with a ridiculously tight shirt- _seriously, the guy should buy his own clothes because the people who buy it for him have other agenda-_ and shorts that were shorter than she was used to. And really? Perfect hair? He just woke up! "I thought I heard someone in there. Going for a run?"

Natasha nodded, "Just around the block. See some of the old places."

"Perfect. Actually I was going to run a few blocks and then ride the bus all the way back to Brooklyn. Wanna come?"

"Brooklyn? Why? Did Howard find anything new?" Natasha stretched her arms, then her legs. "...and isn't that where you grew up? It's a little risky, someone might recognize you. I should go if it's important."

Steve shook his head, "Nah, nothing. I just thought I'd...well, nevermind. And you're right...it's risky."

 _Shoot._

He grew up there, of course Steve would want to see the place again.

The last time they were there, they were both still in shock and didn't have the chance to get around. _And why did he have to look like a sad puppy?_ Natasha sighed and stopped Steve on his tracks just as he was about to make a head start.

"Hey, I'm sure it will be fine if we don't stay there long."

Steve smiled back, and waited for her before running down the paved path.

The short trip- _forty five minutes, more or less_ -proved to be informative for Natasha like it was nostalgic for Steve. She studied the crowd around her, subtly of course, and realized how similar it was from modern commute. Take away phones and other devices, the people held on to the morning papers, their noses buried in books as they waited for their stop. The wardrobe was something else, though. Everyone looked dapper, clean-cut and very sophisticated, she thought about starting a campaign to bring back the 40's fashion when they go home. Or when _she_ goes home, _whatever._

They had to stand throughout the trip, standing close across each other, their bodies touching at every speed bump and brake because the buses were brimming with the working population getting to their jobs on the other side of the city.

Steve smelled _amazing,_ even soaked in sweat. Which was unfair, because she must have reeked like garbage.

"What are you thinking?"

She hummed, her eyes darting to his.

"You seem to be doing a lot of thinking these days." he adjusted his hoodie to cover more of his face using his free hand, the other holding on to the bar above their heads. And because the bar was too high up for her to hold onto comfortably, Steve let her hold his arm for support.

Natasha scoffed, keeping eye contact. "Something to do with being stuck here, Steve."

"It's not that." His face was stern, and there was something about being pressed together in public transportation that made Natasha shift uncomfortably.

"Fine. Is there something you want me to say?"

Steve's brows furrowed and he just sighed. "I don't know, Nat. What do you want to say?" his voice rose a little, catching the attention of the elderly woman on the chair beside him. "What do you want to say, Nat?" he repeated, softer now.

Natasha bit her lip to hide the quiver. If she got it right, they still had twenty minutes before the bus stops in Brooklyn, and she wasn't sure she can hold out for long. So she resorted to the one thing she did best, "Friendly reminder, _Rogers_. Anything you do _has_ a consequence. You and I being here in this stupid bus, you and I running around Stark's neighborhood like we belong there, you hanging around with Peggy Carter, _everything_. Everything has a price, you better be willing to pay it."

His mouth opened slightly, his mind conjuring a clapback but he couldn't muster anything. The bus came to a sudden halt, pushing Natasha onto Steve's chest as her hand instinctively held on to his waist. Steve's arm was around her shoulders. And suddenly Natasha forgot what she was riled up for. He'll always be there for her, and he's proven time and time again that she can count on him. Thinking that he'd rather stay here where he was welcome rather than go home to where his new life was and where she was felt stupid.

An insult to Steve's character, really. They were _partners,_ right? He won't leave her, _right?_

"Sorry." She looked away and recomposed herself. "I just want to go home. Soon, preferably."

"I know." he sighed, his breath hot on her cheeks. "You'll be home soon, I promise."

"Sir, the lady's here to see you."

Arnim Zola shift his glasses and looked to the door. He put down his steak knife and wiped the grease off his mouth, impatient for the news his personal eyes and ears to the city brought him. A slender, blonde woman strode into the room, her mouth plastered into a sly, permanent red grin that concealed the fact that she wasn't who she seemed.

Dottie Underwood was a force to be reckoned with. Zola knew that and recognized her talent and potential.

"Doctor," She greeted in a sing-song voice. She looked like she was smiling but her eyes were devoid of any emotions. "I brought you something extra special today."

"What is it?"

She smirked and sat on Zola's dining table. "He's back. Captain America's alive."

"What? But that's...he crashed, didn't he? Nobody survives that."

"You don't believe me?" she pouted, "...silly little man, have I ever failed you?"

A/N: Here comes trouble! A little conflict spices things up, right? And ugh, Steve's all Peggy Peggy Peggy. What an adorable dork. Poor Natasha :( Oh, and do you guys remember Dottie from Agent Carter? Damn she was awesome. And her history with the Red Room Academy aligns with Natasha's history. Hope you enjoyed that.


End file.
